New year chart update: Xbox down and PS4 up YoY while market holds against digital shift

With two weeks of chart data coming in today, we can announce that Call of Duty ticked off weeks eight and nine at No.1 as well. That now puts its level-pegging with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in terms of consecutive weeks at the top. Congratulations to Activision UK on that achievement. Though it needs another couple of weeks to equal Black Ops 3's 11 weeks in total (non-consecutive) at No.1.

[Rimeskeem]

It’s almost like exclusive games increase software sales 🤔

[Neonridr]

they certainly do help. But 3rd party games rule these consoles, don't kid yourself.

[Kingthrash360]

Lol...exclusives are the marquee games on consoles, they also sell more consoles. 3rd party games are the filler in between the 1st party Marquee games. Only 1st party games take full advantage of a console, dont kid yourself.

[Neonridr]

@Kingthrash360 - look at the top selling games on either the Xbox One and PS4. Tell me what games the majority of people are buying.

As reference.. in the top 20 selling PS4 titles, only 3 are exclusives. So while you say exclusives matter and they sell consoles, people certainly aren't buying these exclusives as much as the 3rd party stuff.

[Rimeskeem]

How many of those who own Ps4s have 1+ exclusive games? I know I have at least half a dozen. While such exclusives don’t sell as much they still make up a decent percentage of software sells.

[moegooner88]

PS4 had 7 exclusives topping the UK charts this year. Trying to make a case that only third party games “ rule these consoles “ is a losing battle. Both third party and first party are integral for a console’s success, as evident here. Case in point PS4 software sales vs those of Switch and Xb1 in UK.

[Neonridr]

@moegooner88 - I am talking globally, not cherry picking one region. I am also talking about lifetime sales. 2017 had some awesome exclusives for the PS4, so this year they sold well naturally. What does PS4 software sales vs XB1 or Switch have anything to do with my point? This isn't a comparison between consoles, just the fact that exclusives do not sell anywhere near 3rd party games for the most part (minus Nintendo of course)

My point is that 3rd party games are the main sellers on the XB1 and PS4. So again, while exclusives help distinguish the consoles, the majority of people are just buying Call of Duty, Destiny, GTA, Battlefield, etc.

@Rimeskeem - I would hope that the console you support you also buy some exclusives for it, otherwise why pick one over the other? But if more people bought exclusives, as you are saying, then we would see that reflected in total game sales. But we don't as much as we would like to believe. I own plenty of exclusives for my PS4 as well.

[moegooner88]

a. Article is about the UK. Read before commenting next time.

b. Annual platform software sales is the topic of the article. Again, read before commenting.

[Neonridr]

@moegooner88 - exclusives still sell globally, not just in the UK. My point stands overall that while exclusives do sell, they don't sell anywhere near as much as 3rd party.

My question to you was about why you felt the need to drag in the XB1 and Switch game sales like that helps prove a point. I mean look at the UK weekly charts.. what has been dominating it for the past couple of months? Not an exclusive, that's for sure.

[moegooner88]

“ My question to you was about why you felt the need to drag in the XB1 and Switch game sales like that helps prove a point?”

One is lacking first party support, and the other is somewhat lacking third party support. Obviously this will impact the annual software sales for each platform. Last year Xbox1 had much more “ exclusives” and hence achieved better software sales. On the other hand, the PS4 had both first and third party support last year, as well as this year. I was merely pointing out what was obvious in the article you chose to comment on.

[Neonridr]

@Moegooner88 - fair enough, thank you for your opinion.

[OB1Biker]

@Neo
If I may, its not moegooner88 'opinion'. It s basically what the author is saying in the article and more of a factual statement.
'physical sales on PS4 were up by 6.6 per cent over the year, while Xbox One's physical sales slumped by 11.1 per cent over the same period - largely due to a very slim lineup of big exclusives on the console.'

[Cuzzo63]

So why have XBox sales dropped 11% and Ps4 up 6%.... Exclusives maybe???

[Jinger]

@Rimeskeem

That's all I own on my ps4 are exclusives.

[yomfweeee]

Neon this isn't very hard to understand...

Yes, third party games sell more. We know.

But when 3rd party games are virtually the same on both systems, they aren't a deciding factor when it comes to purchasing a console.

Exclusives are the major differential and do cause people to choose one system over another.

Something you don't get about that?

[KickSpinFilter]

Actually big time, or at least the 3d reason. So when you get into volumes of people buying systems, exclusives matter. Sure multi-plat sell more that has never been argued, but exclusives are a major decider right after price, and where your friends play.
So when ya have 10 PS4 exclusives per year and one doesn't make the mark or don't care for the genre no big deal. When you only have 3 XB1 exclusives and one does not make the mark or don't care for the genre that's far more abysmal.

[UCForce]

Remember PS2 Era ? It got massive support from First Party and Third Party. Exclusive game give console identity. And you still haven’t figured out. PS4 is doing just like PS2.

[showtimefolks]

Neo

Exclusives are the reason people buy consoles along with which platform their friends play on

3rd party games matter after sales

Nintendo hasn't gotten proportion 3rd party support since SNES (and now with switch) yet they sold millions of consoles because if u think to play Mario or zelda you have to buy a Nintendo console

While you can play halo and gears without buying Xbox

It's called building brabd loyalty and making brand stronger

No amount of your comments will change facts

Exclusives won't sell 10s of millions but combined ps4's 7 exclusives sold between to 20 million in 2017

That's extra revenue

[DarXyde]

And what helps people make the distinction between platforms? 🤔 Surely if a game is available on both, there's SOMETHING that enables gamers to make a decision if they can only have one console. Power? That never wins a console generation. Wii destroyed the competition and Switch is doing great. Price? Huge factor, yet PS3 in all its insanely priced glory beat out a console with a year's head start. Features? One S's UHD Blu-ray player hasn't done the console the justice it probably could have. Exclusives matter. A lot. You think Nintendo has survived this long by pimping out their games like poor fathers with daughters in the Caribbean countries?

Also, third party games and exclusives are not mutually exclusive categories. Persona 5, NieR: Automata, and Uncharted 4 are a testament to that much. Don't describe them as such.

[LP-Eleven]

Trying to convince yourself that exclusives matter little only suggests that you're trying to excuse the ONE console with the weakest in-house output. If there's anyone kidding themselves, it is you.

[GrubsterBeater]

Just because third party games stat near the top of the charts, it doesn't mean that someone didn't purchase a PS4 JUST to be able to grab a current or soon releasing exclusive.

People can buy a PS4 JUST for a certain or multiple exclusives, yet purchase third party games in between those exclusives.

Now I know that you see exclusives not always at the top of the charts, but people definitely buy PS4s for the exclusives, and a huge amount of software sales DO come from current PS4 owners and future PS4 owners. Third parties will always be popular and at the top, that's what most casual players buy, as well hardcore players, and they both want to play certain games with their friends.

But don't kid yourself... exclusives ARE the crown jewel of a console. If what you say is true, then XBox would be selling the same amount of consoles as PlayStation.

A person of even remedial intellect, though, can easily make the correlation that the system that consistently releases exclusives throughout the year may have something to do with it's ever increasing hardware and software sales...

[george957]

Had games like Uncharted was on all plat from it would have sold a lot and being an exclusive games like these have sold a lot of copies... Isn't it obvious Multiplat. will sell more becoz its available on xbox ps4 and pc So why compare them with exclusives sales figure... That's why exclusives sales more consoles... Cant wait for God of War to do wonders.. followed by Spider Man, Detroit , Days Gone and so on.. These games gonna sell tons and will boost PS 4 sales even further ..

[Chevalier]

Exclusives do one thing though and that's move consoles. Top 2 selling consoles (PS4 and Switch) have the MOST exclusives. Fact. Both also had the most exclusive software sales. Fact. Deciding factor on system to buy? The one with MORE options not LESS.

The 3rd party games are the same on both Xbox and PS4 and the differentiation comes in the exclusives. If the price is the same anyways it ultimately is a big deciding factor.

[DarXyde]

Side note:

I accidentally listed Uncharted 4 as a third party title/exclusive and am realizing long after the edit window. I actually meant to substitute that with a game like Yakuza.

My point still stands. You can be third party and exclusive. Of the games I mentioned, none were published by Sony either.

[ocelot07]

Of course they matter. If I was in the hunt for a new console now. Exclusive's would be one of the priority's. Sony release a lot of exclusives over 12 months. But are out numbered by 3rd party releases. To every 1 PS4 exclusive there is like 20 3rd party titles so of course 3rd party titles will sell better.

Also just because they are exclusive dosn't mean you have to buy them. I certainly appreciate the amount of exclusive titles available. But some of them are simply not for me.

[KickSpinFilter]

Not only that, exclusive games increase hardware sales also. Gasp!

[ILostMyMind]

And hardware sales increase third party sales. It's a magic! 😱

[SuperSonic91]

PlayStation has been 3rd party first and 1st party second. That is how it started with PSOne and that is how it stayed successful up to PS4. 1st party exclusives are just there to show the potential power of the hardware.

[ILostMyMind]

😂😂😂 🤣

[EverydayGuy]

The way 3rd party are trending with loot boxes and microtransactions, I may stop buying 3rd party titles new.

[DrumBeat]

PlayStation is really just the older, more known, more respected brand. Then you can add the fact about exclusives. Third parties rule the consoles for most people. It's a reality. You'll never see an exclusive above a 'hot' 3rd party multiplayer game on Xbox or PlayStation.

[Nyxus]

Exclusives don't matter, right?

[FallenAngel1984]

You’d think with all the boasting about Xbox One X, that audience would buy more games to experience on the alleged beast.

[KickSpinFilter]

But XB1 users don't not even the GOTY ones!
GTSport has gone onto to sell many more than Forza 7
Even if you double the install base of the XB1 to 69.4 million
Selling Forza 7 1.04 million still does not even tie GTSport

[PCgamer98]

Of course forza wouldn't sell as much since ms releases one every year. It's turning into the assassins creed of racing and people are growing fatigue with it.

[KickSpinFilter]

@PCgamer98
Exactly lack of exclusives and fatigue of MS major IP's.
Perhaps this year will be different but who knows.
Sea of Thief's is very specific lot's are not going to like it, but hey thought the same thing about Horizon Zero Dawn, and I was dead wrong.
Crackdown 3 looks to have major problems with gameplay.
Who knows?
2018 still looks to be an amazing year in game.
PUBG eventually coming to PS4

[Chevalier]

I think its ironic that the rumoured games coming to Xbox is more of the same. Halo 6, Forza Horizon 4, Fable 4 and Perfect Dark. Right on schedule. Somehow Xbox expects to beat the Switch and PS4 with more of the same.

[ElementX]

Well honestly I bought 3 physical games for Xbox X and about 9 digital so far... I may be in the minority but digital is the future. No need to hold on to physical media across generations is a huge plus in my book.

[UCForce]

It should be optional for everyone. And not everyone have a strong internet.

[Dragonscale]

Its only the future if the market demands it and so far thats not the case. An all digital future would not be good tbh.

[Bobafret]

I mainly buy digital because I hate when I forget to insert a disc and have to get up off the couch. Don't hate, at least I admit being lazy lol

[UCForce]

@Bobafret You should understand that optional is good for everyone.

[GrubsterBeater]

The one and ONLY reason I even buy some games digitally is because my brother and I both have each other's PS4's set up as our Primaries. (My PS4 Pro is set as my brothers Primary, and my brother's PS4 is set us as my Primary). That way, any games bought by either of us digitally, means we both own the game, which is really nice.

Other than that, there is no real logical reason, at least to me, that would make me choose digital over physical. I like to have something for friends, family and myself to show a visual representation of the games I own, along with the aesthetically pleasing art displayed. I also like to SEE what games I own because PlayStation has so many damn games that after a while, you might even forget about a game that you own. That has happened to me many times with digital.

[michellelynn0976]

I know COD is the big sellers. But, the reason the Switch and PS4 outsell the X-Box is exclusives.

[ILostMyMind]

But that Power of the Beast ...

This explains why Microsoft wants so hard to crossplay with PlayStation.

[Lokii]

PlayStation is the true beast.